Track-brace



J. F. PETERMAN.

TRACK BRACE.

APPLlCATlON Fl LED JULY 9. I920.

1,361,901 Patented Dec. 14, 1926,

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. F. PETERMAN.

TRACK BRACE. APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 9.1920.

1,351,901 Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

minimum Him Jcas aphE PETEI'IELBH nun M01;

V stresses are imposed UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F.

PETERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACK-BRACE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JosnPH F. PETERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track- Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a track brace for laterally bracing the rails of a section of railroad track. 7 7

An important object of the invention is the provision of a track brace which is primarily adapted to be used as a brace for rails upon curves, where powerful lateral upon the rails by heavy and fast moving rolling stock.

Ar further object of the invention is the provision of a track brace which will serve as a positive means for maintaining the proper gage of rails.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a track brace of the above described character which is to be used in conjunction with a standard track construction, including lateral rail bracing angles or fish plates, for bracing the rails and preventing lateral vibration, or spreading of rail joints.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentduring the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of railroad track.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a section of track.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a rail taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of a rail taken on the line 4-4: of Fig.- 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a section of track.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional'view of a rail showing a modified arrangement of the track brace. I

In the drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the letter A designates a rail supported upon a bed plate B and mounted upon ties C; vAngle plates D are provided of standard construction for section of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Application filed. July 9, 1920. Serial No. 394,965.

laterally bracing the web of rail A, while a bridle E, and clamping members F, are provided for use in conjunction with the standard track construction, for the rails thereof.

The rail A is preferably of the T type comprising the head 10, web 11 and base 12. The web 11 of the rail A is ordinarily braced upon each side by angle plates 13 and where the rail is thought to be weak and where powerful lateral stresses are sometimes encountered, the bolt 14: being pro-- vided to securely bolt the legs of the angle plates to the web 11 as is the standard construction, Y

The bed plate B is provided upon one longitudinal edge with an enlargement, or shoulder 15 which is adapted to abut against an outsideedge 16 of the rail base, in such manner that when the spikes G are driven into the ties C through the apertures in the bed plates B as in standard construction, the shoulder 15 will resist any tendency of the rails to spread. It is to be noted that the shoulder 15 is only of such height that the upper surface of the shoulder will be flush with the upper surface of the flange 16 forming the base of the T rail, when the bed plate is in positlon to support the rail.

Thebridle member E is of sufficient length to span the trackway from rail to rail and is adapted to be positioned beneath the bed plate B of the rail A and preferably intermediatethe ties as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The ends of the bridle member E are preferably provided with hooked portions 20 integral therewith which are adapted for the purpose of receiving the enlar ed portion or shoulder 15 of the bed plate B. Suitable apertures 21 and 22 are provided in the end of the bridle member E and bed plate B respectively, which are adapted to receive a bolt 23 for rigidly securing the bed plate B within the hooked portion 20. From this construction it can readily be seen that the bridle E provides a means whereby the rails A of the trackway are prevented absolutely from spreading.

The clamping members F are provided to be positioned between the rails of the track way and are provided with apertures therein for the reception of bolts 25 to be bolted directly to the bridle E. The clamping arm 26 of the clamp, which is provided to overlie the foot of the railand the bed plate B, is provided with fillets 27 adapted 'to abut struction.

against the edge of the base flange 16 and the edge of the bed plate B. From this construction it can now be seen that the rail is rigidly braced between the hooked portion 20 of the bridle member E and the clamp member F in such manner that the gage of the trackway'can be accurately held.

' Where the angle plates D are used as on a curve, it will be seen that an additional bracing efl'ect is produced since theleg 28 of the angle member D which, lies upon the flange 16 of the base of the rail A abuts against the edgeof the hooked portion 20 as is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. owever, it will be necessary in this event to provide a special clamping member F since the clamping arm 26 has to overlie an additional thickness of metal, namely, the leg 28 on angle plate D. Where angle plates are used in which the flange 28, which overlies the flange 16 of the foot rail 16, is so short that it terminates short of the edge of the flange 16, as is shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings; it will be necessary, or rather desirableto provide a bridle member E having a hooked member 20 which overlies the flange 16 and abuts against the edge of the From the foregoing it can be seen that a comparatively simple, yet effective device is provided which is capable of meeting the various demands of standard railroad con- In operation it is merely necessary to re move a fewof-the spikes Gupon the rails,

the bridle member E is then placed beneath the rail and the bed plates B slid in their positions beneath the rails and upon the ties i C, and the bridle -member securely bolted thereto by thebolts 23. Clamping members F arethen placed upon the bridle members between the rails and bolted thereto by bolts 25 or the like, in such manner that the clamping arm 26 overlies the footof the rail and the bed plate as 'hereinbefore described.

7 Since thebridle member. is now bolted to each rail it provides a means whereby the gage of the trackway can be accurately held.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is tobe taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may'resorted to without departing from the spirit of the 55 invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. 1

Ielaim:

1. In a rail brace, the combination with ties, bed plates upon said ties and rails upon said bed plates forming a section. of track, ofa bridle member beneath said plates having portions thereof engaging the outer side of the rail to prevent spreading of the rail,

and detachable clampmgmembers secured to the bridle member on the inner sides of the rails to hold the rails at a predetermined gage.

2. In a rail brace, the combination with the standard construction of a section of railroad track, plates and ties, of a bridle member spanning said railroad from rail to rail, beneath the bed plates of the track way, said bridle member having hooked portions on the ends thereof engaging said bed plates upon the outer sides of the rails of said trackway, and detachable clamping members upon the inner sides of said rails, mounted upon the bridle member for maintaining the track at a predetermined gage. 7

3. In a section of track comprising rails, bed plates, ties, and angle plates for bracing the'webs of said rails, the combination of a bridle member transversely spanning said trackway from rail to rail, beneath the bed plates thereof having hooked portions on the end thereof engaging said bed plates upon the outer sides of said rails of" the trackway, and abutting against the angle plates upon the outer sides of said rails, and clamping members mounted upon the inner sides of said rails, and bolted to the bridle member, overlying said bed plates and abutting against the angle plates upon the inside of said rails for maintaining the track at a predetermined gage.

4. In a section of track comprising rails, ties and angle plates for bracing the webs of said rails, the combination of a bridle member transversely spanning said trackway from rail to rail beneath the rails thereof and having hooked portions on the ends thereof engaging said rails upon the outer including rails, rail bed sides of said rails of the trackway and abutting against the angle plates upon the outer sides of said rails, and clamping members mounted upon the inner sides of said rails and bolted to the bridle member, overlying the base of said rails, abutting against the angle plates upon the inside of said rails for malntainmg the track at a predetermined gage. V

5. In a track brace, the combination, with a section of railroad track comprising ties, and rails, of bed plates intermediate said ties and rails having enlarged portions thereon projecting from the foot of the rail and upon the outer sides of the rails of the track section,. a, bridle member having hooked portions thereon adapted for engaging said enlarged portions of the bed plate for maintaining said enlarged portions'in contact with the foot of the rail in such manner as to prevent spreading of the rails, and clamp members bolted upon the bridle member upon the inner sides of said rails and engaging said rails whereby the track is maintained at a predetermined gage.

6. In a track brace, the combination with a section of track comprising ties, rails, angle plates upon said rails for bracing the Webs thereof, of bed plates intermediate said ties and rails having enlarged portions thereon projecting from the foot of the rail and upon the outer sides of the rails of the track section, a bridle member having hooked portions thereon adapted for engaging said enlarged portions of the bed plates for maintaining said portions in contact with the foot of the rail to prevent spreading of the rails, said hooked portions also abutting against the angle plates upon the outer sides of said rail, and clamping members bolted upon said bridle member positioned between the rails and overlying the foot of said rails and a portion of the angle plates upon the inside of the rails ror maintaining the track section at a predetermined gage JOSEPH F. PETERMAN. 

